Office



(No Model.) I

- w. D. MARKS.

DETBNT FOR RATGHET WHEELS.

No. 571,050. Patented Nov. 10, 1896.

% wmzumysw p 3 THE NORRIS mzns cu. pummcmouylmmmom D. c.

" UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFI E.

\VILLIAM D. MARKS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMERICAN ELECTRIC METER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DETENT FOR RATCHET -WH EELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,050, dated November10, 1896.

A pli ti fil d August 22, 1896. Serial No. 603,5 91. (No model.)

To all whom it may. concern: tent which possesses all the advantages ofa Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. .MARKS, a spring-detent and the rigidgravity-detent citizen of the United States, residing at Philaand avoidsall the disadvantages of both, and delphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and in carrying my invention into effect I employ 5 Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a cera blade-spring detent which ispreferably tain new and useful Improvement in Detents quite long andcurved, and which spring is for Ratchet-Wheels, of which the followingis carried by a pivoted arm to which an adjusta specification. ableweight is secured. In such a detent- The object of my invention is toprovide a spring the friction of the spring on the ratchet IO detent forratchet-wheels which will prevent wheel causes the spring to hug thewheel both overtravel and backlash of the ratchetand even follow it ashort distance, partially wheel without unduly interfering with thestraightening the spring, and in this way the forward movement of thewheel; and my inreaction on the motor due to the friction of vention ismainly designed for use in electric the detent is largely, if notwholly, overr 5 meters wherein a cam and a chrono-electric come.Furthermore, changes in temperature motor are employed as the drivingdevice for and wear do not alter the tension of the spring, theratchet-wheel which ratchet-wheel is the since this is regulated by theadjustable primary wheel of the counting mechanism. weight.

In registering-meters the primary or ratchet In the accompanyingdrawings,which illus- 7o 20 wheel, if large and heavy in comparison withtrate my invention,Ais the primary or ratchet the resistance againstwhich it works, is very wheel of the counting mechanism of a regisapt toovertravel, and this is particularly tering-meter, the countingmechanism being true if the actuating device is not always omit-ted. inengagement or contact therewith. hen B is the driving-pawl, carried by apivoted 2 5 the actuating device is a slow-moving one, paw1-arm b. Thisarm is moved upward or making but few oscillations or revolutionsforward by means of a driving-cam C, enper minute, the tendency on thepart of the gaging with a roller 1), carried by the pawlratchet-wheel toovertravel is slight, but as arm I). The driving-cam is pivoted at c andthe number of oscillations or revolutions inis actuated by a pendulum D,carrying soleo creases the tendency to overtravel becomes noid-cores d,which are acted upon by a so,- proportionately greater, and in apparatuslenoid E. The downward movement of the of the character for which myinvention is pawl-arm b is limited by the cam F by the mainly designedsuch an objection is a serious engagement of the pin f, and this cam isadone. justed by a current-indicator or ampere-me- 8 5 3 5 hen the workdone by the ratchet-wheel ter G,.as is now well understood.

is so great that there is no tendency to over- His the spring-detent forthe ratchet-wheel,

travel, there is frequently a tendency to backwhich, as shown,is a longcurved blade-spring.

lash. To prevent this, a detent is employed. This detent is carried by apivoted arm h,

Such a detent naturally acts as a brake and which carries an adjustableweight h. The 40 is usually a rigid piece of metal. However,ratchet-wheel A is provided with very fine when the speed of theratchet-wheel is great ratchet-teeth, against which the free end ofduring each forward stroke the detent, even the detent-spring is made tobear with a dewhen heavy, chatters and allows the wheel to gree offriction dependent upon the adjustovertravel. \Vhen the driving force isnot ment of the weight h to prevent overthrow. 5 5 greatly in excess ofthe work to be done, the The backlash of the ratchetwheel is prefrictionand weight of this device may react vented by the engagement of the edgeof the on the motor and cause its motion to be less spring with the fineratchet-teeth.

constant. On the other hand, a spring-detent It will be readily seenthat the wearing of is liable to changes of tension due to wear the endof the detent-spring will not have any 5c and difierences intemperature. To overeffect on the action of the detent, since the comethese objections, I have provided a 'deweight h will always hold thedetent in engagement with the ratchet with the proper degree offriction.

Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a ratchet-wheel and an actuatingdevice therefor, of a pivotal resilient detent for the ratchet-wheeladapted to slightly follow the wheel through friction and thereby reducethe effects of inertia on the actuating device, and a device forregulating the pressure of said detent on the ratchet-wheel,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a ratchet-wheel, of a spring-detent therefor,and an adjustable weight for regulating the pressure of the detent,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a ratchet-wheel, of a blade-spring detenttherefor, and an adjustable weight for regulating the pressure of thedetent, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a ratchet-wheel, of a blade-spring detentcarried by a pivoted arm, and an adjustable weight carried by said armto regulate the pressure of the detent, substantially as set forth.

5. In a registering-meter, the combination with a register or counter,of a primary driving or ratchet wheel, an actuating-pawl engagingtherewith, a motor for driving said actuating-pawl, and a resilientdetent for the ratchet-wheel, adapted to slightly follow the wheelthrough friction and thereby reduce the eifects of inertia on theactuating device, substantially as set forth.

6. In a registering-meter, the combination with a register or counter,of a primary driving or ratchet wheel, an actuating-pawl engagingtherewith, a motor for driving said actuating-pawl, and a detent forsaid ratchetwheel consisting of a spring engaging therewith and anadjustable weight for regulating the pressure of the detent,substantially as set forth.

7. In a registering-meter, the-combination with a register or counter,of a primary-driving or ratchet wheel, an actuating-pawl engagingtherewith, a chrono-electric motor for driving said actuating-pawl, anda detent for said ratchet-wheel consisting of a spring engagingtherewith and an adjustable weight for regulating the pressure of thedetent, substantially as set forth.

8. In a registering-meter, the combination with a register or counter,of a primary driving or ratchet wheel, an actuating-pawl engagingtherewith, a motor for driving said actuating-pawl, and a detent forsaid ratchetwhcel consisting of a blade-spring carried by a pivoted arm,and an adjustable weight carried by said arm to regulate the pressure ofthe spring-detent substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of August, 1896.

M. D. MARKS.

Vitnesses:

THEo. BuoHHoLz, Gno. Ross GREEN.

